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Topic subjectWhy is common the ish?
Topic URLhttp://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=19&topic_id=26897
26897, Why is common the ish?
Posted by guest, Thu Feb-10-00 05:10 PM
basically it is like this... i am new to most of the okayplayer artists except D'angelo. I did not feel the roots till i saw them perform live in the "burgh" last november and i now see why they are off the meter. so now i am trying to expand even more and get into some common. Some body tell me why you think this cat is a superior MC and why he should make statements like the one the other day where he said that his new ish is gonna be better than illmatic. that is a bold statement to me, so pardon my ignorance, just let me know. <P>peace
26898, much appreciated....
Posted by UrbanCowgRRL, Thu Feb-10-00 05:21 PM
I would love to respond to this properly, but I have an exam at 830 i need to study for. <P>I wanted to let you know that your honesty is a wonderful thing (something sometimes missing around here), and all I can say right now, is listen to him....just do it...He wouldn't be held up with D and the Roots if all these okayplayers thought he was wack...ya dig?<P>Imma let these heads school you on the one and only now...get the books open...pen and paper ready...<P><BR>much love<BR>Kyle
26899, Alright...
Posted by guest, Thu Feb-10-00 05:45 PM
Since you said you're digging the roots now, I'll use an example of Com from Things Fall Apart...I'm gonna break this down...readY??? <BR>Love of My Life, Com's verse:<P>"Yo, yo I was speakin, to my guy 'Riq and<BR>How she was desperately seekin to Organize in a Konfusion"<P>Alright..."she" refers to hip-hop, as you may have noticed...then there's the discrete reference to Organized Konfusion, one of the illest hip-hop groups ever...you know Pharohe Monch? Yep, that's where he started<P><BR>"Usin, no protection, told H.E.R. on _Resurrection_<BR>Caught in the Hype Williams, and lost H.E.R. direction"<P>Ok, again, H.E.R. is referring to hip-hop...On Com's second LP, Resurrection, he did a song called I use to love H.E.R....and he used an amazing personification to describe hip-hop...like a real person, and he talks about She was screwing with the wrong people and how hip-hop needed to go back to it's ROOTS and become pure again...then there's the next line...Com's saying Hip-hop caught into the hype and that's when it became a little less pure and began to suck...then the ill wordplay by saying Hype Williams (a video director that REALLY takes some of the art out of hip-hop)...and he says She lost her direction because of him...get it? get it? goooood<P><BR>"An under the counter love, so _Silent_-ly I _Treat_ H.E.R.<BR>Her Daddy'll beat H.E.R., eyes all Puff-ed"<P>Ok, Roots second LP, they did one of the best love songs in hip-hop, Silent Treatment...Com's saying hip-hop began to ignore the good ish and start to go for the hype he mentioned previously...then he talks about how people like Puff Daddy really began to eff with her and disgrace hip-hop's name (rap)<P>"In the mix on tape, niggaz had her in the buff<BR>When we touch, it was more than just a fuck<BR>The Police, in her I found peace (like who?)<BR>Like Malcolm in the East<BR>Seen H.E.R. on the streets of New York, trickin off<BR>Tried to make a hit with H.E.R. but my dick went soft"<P>Alright, does another ill wordplay (something Com is well known for and one of the reasons why he's one of my/IS my favorite MC's)...mixtapes...just another part of hip-hop that we all heart (or use to)...then he's saying hip-hop is not just for screwing around with and we shouldn't treat it as if it's something we can dispose of in a couple years (it was more than just the fuck)...then he goes on to say more than Fuck the police...another hip-hop classic...he's syaing hip-hop is more than just a political statement...but it IS an artform and should be treated as one...and he concludes by saying hip-hop is getting less attractive as she begins screwing with the ugly side of rap<P><P>As of late I realized, that this is H.E.R. fate<BR>Or destiny that brings the best of me<BR>It's like God is testin me<BR>In _Retrospect_ I see she brought _Life_ and death to me<BR>Peace to us collectively, live and direct when we perform<BR>It's just coffee shop chicks and white dudes<BR>Over H.E.R. I got into it with that nigga Ice Cube<BR>Now the fight moved to in life, makin the right moves<BR>Besides God and family, you my life's jewel<BR>Like that y'all<BR>Hip-Hop-op-op-op-op"<P>This is where Com comes to the realization that Com can only use his skill to change hip-hop and he has to stick to it and not dis H.E.R....here he makes the reference to his song he did with Lauryn Hill..."Retrospect for Life"...a song about abortion, interesting he chooses to put this song in his verse...hmmm?...alright, I tried to condense this as much as posssible, plus i probably made a few mistakes, i did this in about 10 minutes...this is just ONE example of Com's work and I can (and have done it) for every single one of Com's songs, he's a master at words and lyrics...and if you sleep on him...you're the one losing out...peas<P><P><P>"Webster's don't know jack" me<BR>"CARROTS" me<BR>"The system is screwed" me
26900, Where i am coming from
Posted by guest, Thu Feb-10-00 07:11 PM
this is my take. i have heard all the joints you mentioned. all of them are ill hands down. and the way that he talks about his love of hip hop "the art" and not hip hop "the way to get paid" in this day and age is beyond noble, but when i think of illmatic and nas (before he got paid) i think of an mc that paints pictures like no one else, he had flow and delivery, voice, and even if you weren't from the projects, cats could "see" what he was talking about. <P>Maybe my issue now and what it has always been is that i am not completely down with Common's flow and voice. which of course is not the end all be all of hip hop or else cats like Big Pun and others really would be the great MC's. BUT from hearing resurrection and a litte of "one day" i hear alot of catch phrases "get up stand up" etc.... in his songs. which to me, seems like a lack of creativity. <P>My favorite MC is Inspectah Deck aka the rebel INS. to me, he combines ridiculous lines with a hot flow and voice. that is why i think he is great.maybe i just have to get used to Common's style like i did with the Roots and respect him for coming on a different tip that other MC's, but does different make you ill? what i am saying is just cuz he is not lil wayne or puffy does not mean his is one of the best in anything other than relative terms.<P>now as i sit back and listen to the resurrection album, more and more i begin to see how he rolls.<BR>but i am still not sure i wanna put him up there on that platform of great rappers. 2Pac was not that great of a lyricist, but he spoke to the masses in a way that made him rise above the rest. I am not saying that i dont think that this applies to common, because if it does, then i respect that. But i want to know how you all break it down.<P>Kameleon
26901, a look a Common
Posted by Quez, Thu Feb-10-00 09:49 PM
Common always had a very "abstract" and unique off-beat delivery which took me a couple listens to get used to on both of his last albums. I wasnt feelin Com's delivery on "One day..." until the track entitled "Hungry" on the first listen. Then by the 5th or 6th listen thru the album you get into the lyrics and realise what he's doing with his delivery. The pauses, the hi-voice, the low-voice, the skat, the harmonising.... it all brings emphasis to his lyrics and makes you pay attention to his words, and hopefully take in the point he's tryin to make at that momment. You can listen to 6 or 7 DMX songs and realise he aint said shiat after all the hollerin. That wont happen with any 7 Common songs. Just listen...<P>And as far as "Like Water For Chocolate"... i've heard it, and Com has definately streamlined his delivery, while taking all those elements of wordplay to new levels.... you will here it.<P>if you dont know what i'm talking about when i say, "streamlined his delivery" take a look at other artists like Ghostface, Rass Kass, ChinoXL, Kweli, Busta Rhymes, and even the great KRS-One. They have all greatly improved thier delivery in the past 3 or 4 years. You will just have to "listen" to Com. We cant make you feel it, its in you somewhere.<P><BR>Sheldon Mar"Quez" Rankin<BR><a href="http://www.sheldon.bored.org" target="_blank">http://www.sheldon.bored.org<;/a><P>"oh lawd Quez is here, okayplayer will never be the same" ---- some wise man<P>"The truth is, my crew is, the smoothest spitters of saliva juices like The Roots is, More Organic than acoustics" ---- Talib Kweli<P>"No need to mic test, you can feel it in ya chest... yo BEYAAAAATCH, feel it in her breasts" - Common
26902, what you need to know about COmmon
Posted by guest, Thu Feb-10-00 11:28 PM
...If your MAIN focus is on the emcee's voice, Common doesn't have the most overpowering voice in hip hop, but thats fine because he's usually not trying to overpower you... his voice works well with his subject matter..<P>MOST IMPORTANTLY, it WILL take you months to appreciate one of his albums.. When I bought One Day.. originally, I got it because it had songs w/ Lauryn Hill, Canibus, Cee-Lo, and Erykah Badu.. At first I thought it was ok but nothing that great. After a few months of really deciphering all the lyrics, Common was one of my favorite emcees.<P>So I bought Resurrection.. I Used to Love H.E.R. (which I had never heard) was astounding to me the first time I heard it... rest of the album was alright - the songs were pretty cool, beats were nice on a few songs, but overall just average...<P>fast forward about ten months... one day I decided to go back and listen to the rest of Resurrection, because I only really got to know about 4 or 5 songs.. it is SOOOOOO good. It is my personal favorite album of all-time, and Com is my favorite emcee HANDS DOWN. Listen to tracks like thisisme, My Life, Sum Shit, Chapter 13... he is unbelievable at wordplay, he is extremely personal on his records, and when he wants to, he can describe something just as well as Nas. Check a track like Nuthin to Do off of Resurrection.<P>G.O.D. f/ Cee-Lo from One Day.. is probably my favorite song of all-time... "Curiousity killed the catechism..." do you understand how ill that pun is?? And his wordplay never detracts from the message he is trying to get across. Illmatic was great... but after 6 years now of disappointing material from Nas, I am starting to think it was luck, or at least not the true Nas. Common, meanwhile, has grown with every album, and is consistently the BEST emcee out there... shit, with a little more of a following and some sales, I think he'd be recognized up alongside Rakim as the BEST OF ALL-TIME.<P>www.angelfire.com/ca2/mystic <--check the site for reviews, audio, discussion board, freestyle board, etc.<P>Peace, WhizDumb (Mystic)
26903, seriously
Posted by atruhead, Fri Feb-11-00 05:48 AM
email me your name and address I will dub you a copy of resurrection at no cost if you cant find it around your way. I played that album last night and read the lyrics that I printed out, so much shit I didnt catch before. Him, Mos, and Talib are the top 3 out right now in my opinion, on a totally unrelated note please go cop Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star too. <P><BR>"Intellectual property I got the title and the deed, I pay rent with the tears and sweat and what I bleed"- Talib Kweli<P>"You got hamburger beef I'll french fry ya cause drag done ate your food"- Drag-On
26904, may i
Posted by MicheleQJ, Fri Feb-11-00 05:56 AM
throw something of my own in there-<BR>i'm not the biggest hip-hop afficionado<BR>-though I do love it, R&B/soul is more my thing-<BR>but i personally love com's voice and delivery<BR>--that's it, back to your business-all i had to say :)<BR>peace<P>"Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love.<BR>I like to work, read, learn, and understand life." - Langston Hughes "Theme for English B"
26905, yall remeber when he said
Posted by marie_laveau, Fri Feb-11-00 08:51 AM
something like "i house more hoes than Spelman" that was soooo clever<P>(morehouse is a mens college and right across the way is spelman, a womens college. for those not familiar w/ historically black colleges)<P>house more----(MOREHOUSE) hoes than Spelman (COLLEGE FULL O` WOMEN)<BR>im lovin it!!!<P>i wonder how long it actually takes for him to write a song.<P>you ever notice how he puts the predicate first.<BR>"srtuggle, i hadnt mastered"<BR>"from the crib, i spend months gone"<P>plus it seems he's never on beat but some kinda of way his lyrics weave thru the music and it sounds perfect. like jazz. okay im getting emitional, but does anybody else feel me on this point cuz "my words cant convey just what im feelin" <BR> <BR>marie_laveau
26906, You see, that's why I love okayplayer
Posted by guest, Sat Feb-12-00 05:08 AM
I'm sure I've heard Resurrection over 100 times, and I NEVER caught the flipped reference to Morehouse. What other lines from a Common song did you all catch like a year later?
26907, I'm as worthy as James, not that good with names
Posted by ohioplayer, Tue Feb-15-00 10:13 AM
Don't get me started. Dude was like....<P>"Rhymes I wrecks effects the ruffnecks down to the preps to the polos, studs with fros, hoes with weaves, the ballheaded to the dreaded, folks with buttas, high rollers in rollers, players with plats, studs with stocking caps, I be rockin' raps 'till I collapse, niggas play my tapes 'bout as much as they do craps."<P>on "this is me" on the resurrection joint, then he was like....<P>"the facts of life I ain't learn from watchin' Tootie, but from growin' up in the big city, but I still like Tootie, 'cause she got big titties"<P>not to mention....<P>"I prefer compliments, so I complement at an angle of 90 degrees.... Com passed MCs with no compassion, 'till I heard the screams from 'em, but I ain't Shai, so why should I comfort 'em" <P>on "communism" and he killed me with....<P>"A portrait of the artist, formerly known as sense, the brainwash, with my vocal tones I rinse, as opportunity and the beat knocks, women give me rhythm like beat box.... but I got sight like a construction worker when it's time to build, get off like Sam Jack in A Time to Kill"<P>on my favorite song on One Day "All Night Long." Com's the illest and I can't wait for his album to come out. I know it's gonna be a classic.<P>"Feels so good inside myself/Don't wanna move/Feels so good inside myself/Don't need to move/Soon as I go up/I'm comin' down/And when I'm lost/I know I can't be found." -- Sly Stone, 1971
26908, illmatic was good but...
Posted by guest, Fri Feb-11-00 09:21 AM
It should not surprise you youngblood that Common's next album will be doper than illmatic. Because Common is a doper MC than Nas. <BR>Here's the deal:<BR>Illmatic was a classic not just because of Nas's ill lyrics which were as dope as it could get in 1994, but also because never before in the history of hip hop had a new artist assembled the best producers in the game for their debut album. As we can see, that was a once in a lifetime event, never to be repeated.<BR>Instead of further honing his craft after Illmatic, Nas took the road most traveled and decided that it was time to line his pockets with cash. Which is fine, I don't mind. I don't buy his shit anymore, but I'm not mad at him. What he has gained in money he has lost in originality and innovation. <BR>Now to Common: Common dropped an album "Can I borrow a dollar?" in 1992, which was only half a step away from illmatic in terms of dopeness. I judge how dope an album is by how long I listen to it, and I listened to the album everyday for almost six months. Straight dopeness. He was the most original rapper, with the most innovative beats that year. At that time he may not have had the awe inspiring lyrical prowess that Nas had on his debut. But this was a guy that you knew was gonna come with some straight dope shit.<BR>Unlike Nas, Common has continuously evolved and innovated his technique, and the production on his albums to the point where now, it is very easy for me to believe that Like Water for chocolate can be doper than Illmatic. Common is at a point in his career now where his rhyming skills have surpassed those of Nas back in 1993. His production team now can easily outdo the production on Illmatic, and therefore I feel that it is safe to assume that LWFC can be the next level dope shit that Illmatic was in 1994, and may be doper.<BR>pease,<BR>banana <P><BR>March 2000- Banana and The King <BR>coming to a tape deck near you <P>"You’re a genius with a capital P/ <BR>another Booby Trap casualty/"- Booby trap the sniper.<BR>
26909, the answer is simple
Posted by guest, Fri Feb-11-00 10:03 AM
the reason i think common is the ish is simple: everytime i listen to one of his songs i find at least 2 or 3 plays on word that i didn't understand before. to me that makes an emcee ill. <P><BR>"This western way of livin ain't native to me" common<P>"Some say that God is Black and the Devil's White/ Well, the Devil is wrong and God is what's right/ <BR>I fight, with myself in the ring of doubt and fear/ The rain ain't gone, but I can still see clear…"common<BR>
26910, Personal query
Posted by delsbrothergeorge, Fri Feb-11-00 12:17 PM
You from Pittsburgh?<P><BR>Free Jolly Jenkins!!!---Huey Freeman<BR>
26911, get resurrection
Posted by guest, Fri Feb-11-00 01:05 PM
listen to resurrection 134 times and listen to every single lyric. and u still wont comprehend the greatness of common.<P><BR>"think about what phones would like if ur mouth wsnt so close to ur ears."-steven wright
26912, first off...
Posted by guest, Fri Feb-11-00 10:12 PM
love to all those that took the time to let me know the deal. as i see it, i just have to give his ish some time, because the intensity of his style can't really be felt on the first 100 listens (not to be sarcastic). that is cool. last night i was peeping "one day", and i think that i am definitely feeling that more than ressurection but i still have mad listening to do. <P>later<P><BR>....nah i am from maryland, but i go to school in the burgh
26913, This Her thing with common ....
Posted by jefleejohnson, Sat Feb-12-00 01:07 AM
Do I think any single source is killing hip hop? No I dont in fact I think all the negative influences its helping it. A wise man once said respect your enemies-patience is a virtue. I dont see that in many emcees today. They are always lashing out at"wack emcees" or whatever. I see somebody so quick to ridicule somebody because they werent cultured on reading rainbow,roots and Hip hop 101. Its this kind of elitism that is funny to me. Save hip hop ...Say what?? Regardless people are gonna buy common for his lyricism and metaphors and nice production. But some people dont have it like common and grew up a different way I cant knock that. I know that now moreso. I was the first one to say "that shit is wack and theres no point for this. But yes Kids even generic stuff has a place in the music world. Because if you had all innovative hip hop it wouldnt be so innovative and everybody would say "damn theres too much good shit" In short you cant please the buying masses of audiophiles. When I listened to I used to love her I still think to this day Hip hop was never dying its this big disillusionment that makes people think this. It comes down to preference and im sorry to say but maybe happy go lucky charlie down the block just wants something that sounds good to his ears. Whats wrong with that? Sorry Mc Krusty underground granola bar doesnt interest him but thats the way things go. But to diss a artist because you think their product is weak on record what kind of man does that show you are? A bitter one thats for sure...somebody who cant see some people treat this as a business. And Oh yea if it wasnt for any of this wack stuff (to me anyways) I wouldnt have much of anything to laugh at. Sometimes I wonder...why I took so offense to something now I just laugh if I dont like it. And the weird thing is I get a better feeling realizing that its all preference and so what if it doesnt sound good to me. There is no HER(hip hop) being raped. This culture is so protective. If it were to some elitists in this game they would take the artform back down thru a manhole and keep it all to the "original hip hop" crowd. I think these negative influences help hip hop to a degree it makes your INNOVATIVE creative shit stand out even more so and in some cases it makes you stronger because you get a emotion you want to do it 10 times as much as the last time you flipped in on your album. But does anybody ever credit the generic stuff with that sort of reaction? No...Because if everybody was creative then we wouldnt have no balance. Its a great little manifesto but cmon ...you gotta have dilluted shit to get stronger. The balance of music as I call it. Like i was watching that Blaque video today and I was enjoying that video because it was something I didnt like. I have a new appreciation for things I dont like now btw. So anyways these girls were singing and I was like what does that vocal hook remind me of "Oh baby bring your love to me" Then I thought for a second what the hell does that sound like. Then it came to me... that reminded me soo much that part of "Gigolos get lonely" by the time. Ha ha See im not gonna buy it but im gonna realize these girls Blaque just entertained me for 4 minutes of my life. And thats something right there. Actually the more I think about it all the wack shit (well wack for me as in its all preference) Im as entertained by that as much as the stuff I like. Which I started thinking everything really does have a purpose. Thus lies the contradiction The "wack" inspires as much as the dope stuff. So in closing I say give it up to generic music these people take their time to make wack music for you. And if you laugh at something thats wack then thats good because ...laughing creates agents that help prevent cancer!! So you see my brothers and sisters wackness is saving you maybe from a life of cancer!! <P><BR>
26914, i am not sure what you are replying to.
Posted by guest, Sat Feb-12-00 07:35 AM
but i have to disagree. i have some ideas to spill so i may not really be replying to anything myself. <P>I think that you can clearly say, what is good and what is bad rap. about rap dying? i dont think it is dying, but i do think that everything common said about h.e.r. is true. There are too many cats out there with true love of the game, like common and many others to keep it alive. <P>anyway blah blah blah rap changes with society. so now we have this society in control of the state of hip hop and what i am saying and that too many cats without skill, are getting put on. why? cuz master p and his hootie hoo stolen style, effing 666 mafia, and (i gotta take it to NY) puffy, and DMX gets white folks to buy the records. cats in the industry know that if rappers with a little something to say on anylevel (be it creative lyrics or an inspirational message) that cant be felt or appreciated by whites. when was the last time that anyone with skill got put on? prolly in 95 with shawn carter. now it is cats like him and beenie mac and nas (and you have to know that he still has skills because of I am, project windows, and other singles) that have skills but dont do anything with them half the time.<P>Rakim can make a party song and still have ill lyrics. is there anything wrong with that? why must the more fun to listen to beats get watered down by crappy lyrics? honestly i really cant appreciate dmx (even if was on some neo-tupac ish) or the hotboys or no limit. and i dont see how they are doing anything for hip hop. <P>
26915, But this is a entertainment industry
Posted by jefleejohnson, Sat Feb-12-00 11:48 AM
>but i have to disagree. i have <BR>>some ideas to spill so i <BR>>may not really be replying to <BR>>anything myself. <BR>>I think that you can clearly say, <BR>>what is good and what is <BR>>bad rap. about rap dying? i <BR>>dont think it is dying, but <BR>>i do think that everything common <BR>>said about h.e.r. is true. There <BR>>are too many cats out there <BR>>with true love of the game, <BR>>like common and many others to <BR>>keep it alive. <BR>>anyway blah blah blah rap changes with <BR>>society. so now we have this <BR>>society in control of the state <BR>>of hip hop and what i <BR>>am saying and that too many <BR>>cats without skill, are getting put <BR>>on. why? cuz master p and <BR>>his hootie hoo stolen style, effing <BR>>666 mafia, and (i gotta take <BR>>it to NY) puffy, and DMX <BR>>gets white folks to buy the <BR>>records. cats in the industry know <BR>>that if rappers with a little <BR>>something to say on anylevel (be <BR>>it creative lyrics or an inspirational <BR>>message) that cant be felt or <BR>>appreciated by whites. when was the <BR>>last time that anyone with skill <BR>>got put on? prolly in 95 <BR>>with shawn carter. now it is <BR>>cats like him and beenie mac <BR>>and nas (and you have to <BR>>know that he still has skills <BR>>because of I am, project windows, <BR>>and other singles) that have skills <BR>>but dont do anything with them <BR>>half the time. <BR>>Rakim can make a party song and <BR>>still have ill lyrics. is there <BR>>anything wrong with that? why must <BR>>the more fun to listen to <BR>>beats get watered down by crappy <BR>>lyrics? honestly i really cant appreciate <BR>>dmx (even if was on some <BR>>neo-tupac ish) or the hotboys or <BR>>no limit. and i dont see <BR>>how they are doing anything for <BR>>hip hop. <P><BR>Its a entertainment industry its obviously serving a purpose for something Hip hop will never die as long as somebody rhymes to a beat in their room or their radio. Its up to the people in the end whats entertaining. <P>
26916, EFF YOU!!!
Posted by guest, Sat Feb-12-00 01:34 PM
Shut the eff up, you Tupac post-mortem nut guzzler!!! DIE SLOW!!! <P>Oh wait, this isn't Davey D's. <P>Ummm... in that case, lemme say this. Stop hating on Com cause he doesn't have an overpowering voice. I see him as much a spoken-word poet as an emcee, and his voice and flow fit tracks perfectly to me. Even if his words don't always fall on the downbeat, they always have a pattern. Plus, he's deep. Maybe you weren't impressed by that kid's breakdown of the "Love of My Life" verse, but I was. I caught most of that stuff myself, but just to see it broken down like that. You see that Com simply does not waste words. Every word, every phrase, has a meaning of its own. <P>It's like this. For most albums you listen to, the emcee says something deep, has four or so bars of filler lines, then says something deep again, and so on. So our listening span is like this. We hear a dope line from an average emcee, and we think in our heads, "Yo, that was tight..." And while we're thinking about how tight the line was, the emcee is spitting filler. So we're not missing anything. But with Com, it's like, he says something tight, you think, "Yo, that was tight..." But while you're thinking, he says something even nicer than the first line. That's how so much of the wordplay Com spits gets missed or overlooked. Cause our attention spans aren't programmed to listen to an emcee putting meaning into every last line. Does this ish make sense? If not, then ask quest. He gets paid to defend "Voodoo" and promote "Like Water for Chocolate" eight hours a day on okayplayer.com, so he'd probably have a better answer to your question.<P>---------------------------<BR>"kameleons play the wrong side of the fence, switchin like clark kent when the drama commence..."<BR>- inspectah deck<P>"words - so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them."<BR>- nathaniel hawthorne<P>"whatever happens it was written, meaning God meant it..." <BR>- nasir jones
26917, please read this
Posted by guest, Sat Feb-12-00 09:35 PM
Ok bro, everyone has a reason for diggin common. i dig him to the max. first of all, word play...blah blah...rhymes....blah blah...content....blah bah<BR>Ok but LOTS of MC's have that (although not quite likr my man). It's the other things:<P>Common's life is manifested in his music. His first album, he was like just a kid, having fun and doing whatever he felt like, being all spontaneus and comedic: A weebee weebee wobble, gobble gobble like a turky, lord have mercy, mercy ,ercy me.... (a quote from the classic BREAKER 1/9) and in the time when other rappers were fronting hard for each other, he was singing songs like TAKE IT EASY. But in his second album, he hit that stage where he was was finding a path in his life and hence in his rhyme, and the name resurrection reflects that idea (his rebirth). THAT ALBUM IS THE GREATEST ALBUM OF ALL TIME, i say better than Illmatic, tho some disagree. He put his heart and soul into everyone of those songs. Studying that album is like reading his autobiography. PLEASE LISTEN TO IT AGAIN (and again and again....) And when his third record hit, it was like an old wise man revisiting his people to drop knowledge with songs like RETROSPECT FOR LIFE, HUNGRY and my favorite INVOCATION. Com is fresh because rhymes like: Envisioning the hereafter. Listening to STEVE WONDER, On a QUEST for LOVE like the PROCEED DRUMMER (Questlove is the drummer for roots, who did the classic song Proceed) I strike like lightning and don't need thunder, INHALE IMAGINATION AND BREATHE WONDER....look man listen to any Common you can get your hands on. It's like EVERYONE can relate to what he says. He is a man, a man pouriing out his heart through and artform that makes people bob their head, but also evokes emotions in them (you don't know how many people have cried when after RETROSPECT FOR LIFE) or say "damn right" when he said "I had no ID, they wouldn't let me in, now those same gumps are asking me to let them in, you don't know me, fool...<P>I could dissect EVERY song he put out, and if you do want to discuss him or his songs hit me up at sohrab@ucla.edu and I won't even start on I used to love HER<P><BR>not for the money, I could have sampled Diana Ross a long time ago <BR> - Common Sense<P>
26918, You Wanna See Common Go Multi-platinum Plus
Posted by cpoindex, Mon Feb-14-00 02:07 PM
Common Sense is the shit and I've known it since I heard "I use to Love H.E.R." on a mix tape and was blown. The problem is how come his record sells do not reflect his talent?<P> Well I have a theories. It's has something to do with Common's marketability. He does not fall into Pimp/Gangsta/Thug/Playa categories that almost all multiplatinum artist seem to fall into. The category he comes closes to belonging to is Black Consciousness. A hard to sell category. Public Enemy was able to sell Millions of records under that Banner but then times were different.Those were the days of African Medallions, Malcolm X posters and "Fight the Power" talk. Black Consciousness does not really have a place in these Prosperous times when everyone is out to "Get Money". Sure consciousness still exists in rap, but it has to be camoflouged for the rap masses to ingest it. i.e. the Southernplayalistic pimped-out poets of OutKasts and the return of the B-Boy Brooklyn Born sounds of Mos Def. <BR> You know what, I digress. The point of this post was to begin a dialouge on how to see Common go Platinum? Here's my thought. I have worked political campaigns and I know that Nationwide movements begin with a hard core audience spread through out the country. This die hard core does so much work that it seems like a nation of millions is behind them. For Instance, a hundred Common fans in New York bombard Hot 97 with request for the latest common single, (at the moment that will be "sixth sense". If the song is on the countdown make call and send faxes to make sure it stays on the countdown. if its on the battle of the beats, make sure it wins. as the single builds momentum, common would start to draw more interest from "casual fans" (fans that like the artist, but would not go buy the album). Then by the time Common does his tour stops at radio stations and clubs, the second single comes through and that casual fan is at Tower record on March 26 buying the album. If this done in key cities, the album will definitely blow up. Also a e-release would garner attention. Releasing a song on the internet as a mp3 might not earn money, but it would definitely put his name out there. Why you think Q-tip's "vivirant thang" was a smash. Any way that just an idea. mobilize the core audience. If the Aritst, Label and Fans put in the right mixture of work, going Platinum would be a breeze. <BR> By the way, I met Common at a Hip-Hop Conference at Princeton University last year. He was a very humble and likable brother. If any brother deserves the success he does. And plus that NIGGA CAN FLOW. <P><BR> Cpoindex,<P><BR>
26919, cuz he from the GO.....
Posted by guest, Tue Feb-15-00 09:48 AM
It's cuz he from the GO ILL! The Go got nuff lyricists. Peace to Com and much success on the latest effort. Peace, mo. 20 of 'em.
26920, Trully Impressed!!
Posted by guest, Wed Feb-23-00 08:27 AM
I would consider myself an infant in the world of Common, and Common Affecionados; However, I have heard one of his flows in a video he did with Talib Kwelli (Something about the city breathing... they feeling it... something like that ). Anyway the point is I was trully inspired by the video, the word play, the message, everything.<P>I had the pleasure of going to Manhattan to a Poetry Cafe', and trully experience -Spoken word poetry-, -Jazz-, -Underground Rap-, etc. Just the real roots of hip hop, and I can tell you that as a black man, our cultural history, and background, has trully blessed us with a gift that should not be hidden, yet should not be depreciated by being flaunted for individual gain and prosperity.<P>I am not a "fan" of rap, I would rather chill to some R&B, and Gospel, but one of my favorite artists "Maxwell" is a true poet of R&B, and it is obvious to me that "Common" is a true poet of Hip Hop.<P>As far as I am concerned, Adulterators of H.E.R. like Puff Daddy, the Hot Boys, and the like, can't really be stopped, cause they are all for self. We need to focus on keeping H.E.R. pure (Cause she won't die) by cleaning H.E.R. from the inside out. If we start from the outside all we will accomplish is the furtherance of the damage started by those adulterators who's only motive is the money they can get by prostituting H.E.R. to the White World.<P>Hip Hop is a reflection of the lives of it's people. The White Man on Wall Street doesn't live in the world of Hip Hop; Therefore he has no facets with witch to understand Hip Hop. Hip Hop must be watered down, made up, and manufactured into, a faux white ideal in order for it to be accepted by the white world. That is how we end up adulterating H.E.R. That is what all them backstabbers are doing thats pimping H.E.R. for money. We should be shocking the White World, Uplifting the Black World, and Purifying the Hip Hop World.<P>Let's keep it real, pure, and concious.<BR>GOD BLESS.<P>Enigma_JA ---> The puzzling Jamaican.<P>Let mind be free, where er you be,<BR>Cause a restricted mind, is what will kill thee!<P>Love, Peace, and One Wholistic God Fearing Mind!!
26921, dreaming to it...
Posted by native_son, Thu Feb-24-00 06:39 AM
by the blessings of good winds a rough cut of "like water" found its way to my ears. too early to talk about classic, but that ish is lush, intelligent and fresh like a new day. i had a quick question though(please ignore if it has been answered already):<P>is that quest and q-tip at the end of "afrodisiac"?